Wildcats (film)
| music = James Newton Howard | cinematography = Donald E. Thorin | editing = Richard A. Harris | studio = Hawn/Sylbert Movie Company Warner Bros. | distributor = Warner Bros. | released = | runtime = 106 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = $26,285,544 (United States) }}Wildcats is a 1986 American sports comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie starring Goldie Hawn, James Keach and Swoosie Kurtz, and is also the film debut of Wesley Snipes, Kevin Reeder and Woody Harrelson. Plot Molly McGrath is the daughter of a famed football coach who is dying to head her own team. When her wish is finally granted, Molly leaves her job coaching girls' track at an affluent high school (Prescott High School) to take over a football team at an inner-city Chicago high school (Central High School)--the kind of place where guard dogs are needed to patrol the campus. At first the new coach's idealism and optimism are suffocated with racial and gender prejudice, but eventually her overriding spirit begins to whip her unruly team into shape. At the same time, she must also struggle to win a battle for the custody of her two young daughters. The real test for Molly comes when her Central High team faces Prescott in the city championship. Cast * Goldie Hawn as Molly McGrath * Swoosie Kurtz as Verna McGrath * Robyn Lively as Alice Needham * Brandy Gold as Marian Needham * James Keach as Frank Needham * Jan Hooks as Stephanie Needham * Bruce McGill as Dan Darwell * Nipsey Russell as Ben Edwards * Mykelti Williamson as Levander "Bird" Williams * Tab Thacker as Phillip Finch * Wesley Snipes as Trumaine * Nick Corri as Cerulo * Woody Harrelson as Krushinski * Willie J. Walton as Marvel * Rodney Hill as Peanut * M. Emmet Walsh as Walt Coes * LL Cool J as Rapper * George Wyner as Principal Walker * Ann Doran as Mrs. Chatham * Gloria Stuart as Mrs. Connoly Filming The film used Lane Technical College Prep High School football stadium for some of their shots. Reception The film currently holds a score of 18% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 17 reviews. Roger Ebert gave the film 1.5 stars out of 4 and wrote, "The filmmakers, the producers and Hawn herself bought the premise instead of looking for the plot. The problem with the movie is that they started with a character description instead of with a story. The fact that Hawn plays a boys' football coach is not in itself interesting. Her relationship with the team would have been interesting, if they'd developed one." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune awarded 1 star out of 4 and called it a "pathetic sports comedy" that represented "another attempt to duplicate the success of Hawn's genuinely funny, monster hit, 'Private Benjamin.'"Siskel, Gene (February 14, 1986). "The cutesy klutz strikes again in tame 'Wildcats'". Chicago Tribune. Section 7, p. A. Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote of Hawn that "the film isn't truly a waste of her talents, but neither does it give her a chance to do much more than repeat some familiar tricks."Maslin, Janet (February 14, 1986). "The Screen: 'Wildcats,' With Hawn". The New York Times. C5. Variety wrote that Hawn had by now been "reduced to a type" of "the adorable but goofy independent woman," but she "is the least is the problems amid cardboard characters with cardboard conflicts ... Football footage is also surprisingly dull, filmed mostly at close range making it look more like bodies bouncing off each other than a sport.""Film Reviews: Wildcats". Variety. February 12, 1986. 22. Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times called it "a good-natured but superficial comedy—sort of a 'Bad News Bears Goes to the Ghetto' ... The movie is such a well-oiled dream machine that it would have been nice if the story, for all its corny charm, had veered off in a more adventuresome or unpredictable direction."Goldstein, Patrick (February 13, 1986). "'Wildcats' Doesn't Put Points On Scoreboard". Los Angeles Times. Part VI, p. 1, 2. Roger Piantadosi of The Washington Post called it "a slick, fitfully charming little comedy that does nothing to deter those of us bent on being fond of Goldie Hawn forever. However, she is pushing her luck."Piantadosi, Roger (February 14, 1986). "'Wildcats' Works the Goldie Mine". The Washington Post. Weekend, p. 25. In 2014, the movie was mentioned by Keli Goff in The Daily Beast in an article concerning white savior narratives in film. Box office The film debuted at No. 4. References External links * * * Category:1986 films Category:1980s comedy films Category:American football films Category:American sports comedy films Category:American teen comedy films Category:American films Category:English-language films Category:Films directed by Michael Ritchie Category:Films set in Chicago Category:Films shot in Chicago Category:Film scores by James Newton Howard Category:Films about racism Category:Films about race and ethnicity Category:High school football films Category:1980s high school films Category:Warner Bros. films